Investigación en endocrinología y diabetes

Insulin Usage Errors and Effectiveness of Health-care Providers' Intervention Regarding Self-Insulin Administration among Diabetic Patients Presenting in Services Hospital, Lahore

Umair Ashfaq, Sarwat Saif, Amjad Ali Raza, Sohaib Haider Zaidi, Usman Musharraf and Adnan Hashim

Correct technique of insulin administration is critical for optimal glycemic control in diabetic patients. It is proposed that appropriate type, dose and technique have a crucial role in the
successful use of insulin. No study has been conducted in Pakistan, to access insulin usage errors. The aim of this study is to determine insulin usage errors and the effectiveness of
health-care providers' intervention regarding self-insulin administration among diabetic patients. This prospective study was conducted at Services Hospital Lahore. Systematic Nonprobability consecutive sampling technique was used. A total of 140 patients were selected. Adult diabetic patients using insulin presenting in OPD of Services Hospital Lahore, were included in this study. Patients dependent on others for insulin administration were excluded from this study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 22 was
used for data entry and analysis. A total of 140 participants were recruited in this study, the response rate of 114 (81.43%). Most of the participants 109 (95.6%) used abdomen for
injection of insulin, 5 (4.4%) injected at thigh. No participant has injected in the arm or buttock area. Before the intervention, only 15 (13.1%) had appropriate technique while after intervention 52 (72%) participants had the appropriate technique of insulin administration. Age of the participants was the only statistically significant factor for appropriate insulin injection technique. A significant gap is present between the insulin administration guidelines and current practices of insulin injection. Counseling about proper insulin injection techniques significantly reduced the errors of insulin administration.